Destined
by ItsAllAboutMattSmith
Summary: A modern version of Sybil Crawley and Tom Branson's relationship.
1. Meeting

**Heeeyyyy guyyysss! Right, so, when I say this is a MODERN VERSION, don't groan... or groan if you really want to. But seriously, give it a go, and see what you think**

**With the name of her friend, I wanted to name her after one of the Suffragette founders- started with Sylvia... then I remembered her name. Christabel was just a little bit TOO old, so I changed it to... tra la! Chrissie :) hope you like it!**

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><p>The club is so busy, much more busy than usual, but that is probably because it is a Friday night and not a Saturday. I usually work a late shift on Friday, but the schedule has changed, so my club night has changed as well.<p>

I am with Chrissie, a friend from work. We just decided to have a couple of drinks, to relax after a stressful week in the office. But then around 9:30, she gets a call from another unknown friend who wants comfort after a break-up. So I tell her to go.

I'm sitting on my own now, finishing off my gin and tonic. Suddenly I feel the presence of someone next to me- I turn to find a rather man, and I can immediately tell from his bloodshot eyes and stupid grin that he is completely wasted.

'Hello darlin'', he says to me.

'Um... hi there,' I say, trying not to get into a proper conversation.

'Let me buy you a drink,' he slurs.

'No thank you, I was just about to go,' I reply.

'Ah come on, just one,' he shoots back.

'No, I really must be going,' I quickly say, and I get off my barstool, and head towards the ladies.

As I come out from the loos, a strong arm pushes me back against the wall. It's the same man.

'You are sooo beau'iful babe,' he says to me. His is so close I can smell his breath against my face. It reeks of alcohol, and I lean my head back as far as possible.

'Please let go of me,' I say- I can't think of anything else except to plead.

'Nah- you don't mess with me girl,' he threatens. He pushes against me further. I can't get away from him now, he's too strong.

'Please, please stop,' I let out a sob, I'm getting scared now.

'Oi! Get off her!' a voice shouts. Suddenly the weight of the man has gone. He's been punched to the floor. I stay backed up against the wall, still crying.

'Now get out of here you sod,' I hear the voice again. I'm too dazed to see who it is. I shut my eyes tight to keep from fainting- it's too hot in here, and I feel sick with fear.

'Here, come on, come with me,' I feel a soft hand on my shoulder, an arm around me, as I'm led out of the club, and onto the cold street. I open my eyes properly then, to look around. A man is leading me across the road to a bench. He sits me down, and then sits next to me.

'Here, you must be freezing,' the man says, putting his jacket around me. It has his body warmth, and smells of cologne. I pull it more tightly around me, the cold starting to take effect. I look up at him then- he has dark blonde hair, neatly swept over. It is quite dark, so I can't make out more of his facial features- apart from the fact that his eyes are a beautiful blue, so bright, but so soft as well.

'Are you ok now?' he asks, smiling faintly.

'Yes, I think so. Thank you,' I say, smiling back.

'Nah its ok, that guy was way out of order,' he replies.

I shiver, and he kindly puts an arm around my shoulders, rubbing my upper arm, trying to get me warm. We sit there for while, it silence, but it isn't awkward. It's comforting.

'Do you want me to call a taxi for you? You must be quite shaken up,' he says eventually.

'Oh that would be very kind of you, thank you,' I answer. He immediately pulls out his mobile, and within a couple of minutes, a taxi is on its way.

'I'm Sybil, by the way,' I feel as if I should make an introduction. I reach out my hand from under his jacket.

'Tom, Tom Branson,' he replies, taking my hand. I look into his eyes- they really are beautiful.

Eventually, the taxi arrives, and I get up. I remember I'm still wearing his coat, so I shrug it off and hand it back to him. He puts it back on, smiling at me.

'Thank you- for getting that guy off me- for the jacket,' I add quickly. He chuckles.

'No worries. Nice to meet you,' he says, holding out his hand once more.

'Nice to meet you too,' I say, and take his hand. I feel something slip into my hand as he pulls back.

'See ya- safe trip home,' he says.

'Thank you,' I reply. He turns and walks off down the street, into the darkness. I'm holding what he has given me, as I get into the warm taxi. As it pulls away, I look at it. It's a phone number. I smile, and tuck it safely in my bag.

xxx

A few days later, I pull out the phone number. Obviously he wouldn't have given it to me if he didn't want to see me again. I pick up the phone and dial the number. After three rings, a voice says, 'Hello?'

'Hi,' I say, not really knowing what I am doing. 'It's Sybil- the girl from the club.'

'I remember- how you doing?' he says.

'I'm fine, thank you. How are you?' I say.

'I'm good thank you,' he replies.

'So, um, why did you give me your number?' I ask.

'I thought you might like to um, well, meet up sometime- go out for dinner or something,' he says. I smile to myself.

'That's very kind of you- I'd like that,' I reply.

'Really? Well great- I'm working all this week, so maybe at the weekend?'

'Yeah, I'm working as well, so that's perfect- and it's not like I'm going to be going back to that club now,' I joke. He chuckles softly.

'Ok then, I'll call you later in the week,' he says.

'Sure. Bye,' I say.

'See ya,' he says.

I smile as I put the phone down. He seems nice, I think. I feel he will be a good friend.

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><p><strong>Hope you enjoyed it, PLEASE review- reviews are goooooood :D<strong>


	2. Jumping Obstacles

**Chapter 2 :) Reviews please- will be getting a bit more towards M-rating in the next chapter :)**

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><p>I walk up to the restaurant he has chosen, looking in the shop windows to make sure I look alright- I have put my hair up, and I am wearing something simple- black jeans, black boots, and a turquoise top with delicate flowing sleeves.<p>

He's standing outside, looking up into the sky- looking at the stars- the sky is full tonight with them. As he hears my footsteps on the pavement, he looks my way- when he sees me he smiles.

'Hi,' he says. He gives me a light kiss on the cheek. I blush, smiling up at him.

'Hey,' I say back to him, as we walk into the brightly lit restaurant.

Over dinner, we talk about a lot- I find out he has a profound love for cars- he tells me he works at a garage, but he wants to do more than that- he has bigger dreams. I admire that, because I can relate to it. I tell him I have an interest in politics, and one day I want to have a career in it.

'I'm surprised I haven't already asked, but I feel as if I should know- how old are you?' he asks suddenly- I look up and the strangeness of the question, but realise that it makes sense to answer it.

'I'm 19,' I say. He looks at me quickly, but then looks down, going quiet. 'What?' I question.

'I didn't realise... your just... younger than I thought,' he said quietly.

'Well how old are you?' I shoot back- I'm not a prissy little girl- I make my own decisions. If there was to be an age difference, it wouldn't be something that would bother me.

'28,' he replies. He stares as I just shrug and continue to eat. 'Are you ok with that?' he asks.

'I don't care about that sort of stuff. I believe that if two people like each other, then it doesn't matter what their age is- within reason of course,' I add, grinning. He gives a quick smile back. I can see he isn't totally convinced.

Later on, we walk out, back onto the street. I turn around to face him. I want to convince him that I really don't care.

'I can tell you're still wary of me being 19,' I say to him. 'Seriously, I don't care,' I say.

'But you should Sybil- don't you understand? One day you might make a decision concerning your age that you will eventually regret,' he argues. He looks down at the pavement, his hands in his pockets, awkwardly scraping his foot against the concrete.

'I might- but I don't think I will- I may not care, but that doesn't mean I'm not responsible- I know when I go too far,' I say. He doesn't look up. I sigh, admitting to myself that I won't convince him- tonight at least.

'Well, if you don't want to see me again, that's fine. But if you do, then I will gladly accept. See you,' I finish off, not wanting to take an oncoming argument any further. I turn to walk away, seeing his head come up to look at me as I leave. He doesn't stop me.

xxx

It's been three days. And then suddenly one morning as I'm rushing to get ready for work, my mobile rings. I answer with a breathless, 'Hello?'

'Wow, you sound tired and it isn't even 9:00 in the morning,' I immediately recognise his Irish accent. It's Tom. I stop moving, standing in the middle of my kitchen with a glass in my hand.

'Oh, hi Tom,' lost for words. I really thought it had been blown the other night, but I was obviously wrong- and I admit, I'm happy that it hasn't.

'I just wanted to apologise for the way I acted the other night- I was just worried,' he says.

'It's ok- I understand why you were worried- you thought that I couldn't handle it,' I say.

'No- no it's not like that- I was just worried you were going to get yourself into something you would regret- I never said you wouldn't handle it.'

I pause, and realise the real reason for why he had been worried. 'You were worried because you care,' I say.

'Yes. Of course I care- I would care, seeing you being threatened by that guy. I suppose that incident made me- wary of what happens to you.'

I don't say anything- I am overcome with this statement- that he cares for someone he hardly knows.

'So I was wondering if we could start over- go out again maybe,' he says after a while.

'I would like that very much,' I smile down the phone.

xxx

I choose the restaurant this time. I like it because I used to come here with my parents when I was a little girl. It's nothing special- just a comfort away from home.

The evening goes more or less the same way as before- we discuss politics for a lot of the meal- he tells me about the cars he's been working on over the past week. Surprisingly, I find myself interested. I never thought myself to be a fan of cars.

We exit the restaurant, and walk down the street to where he's parked his car. As we get to it, I stop and turn to face him. He looks at me this time, his blue eyes shining. I can't stop looking back at him, into the deep colour. He puts one hand up to my cheek.

'I had fun tonight,' he says.

'Me too,' I reply. I lean forward, touching my lips to his. It's just quick, but it's lovely, and I smile as we pull apart.

'Thanks,' he says.

'No problem,' I smile back at him.

xxx

It carries on like this for a couple of weeks. We see each other usually twice a week- we are working too much to see each other more often than that. Every time we meet, and every time we part, we seal it with a quick kiss. Recently, a couple of times, he has rested his hands on the small of my back, pulling me closer. But I feel I want more of him- so tonight I ask if he can drive me home, and he agrees.

We sit in silence on the way back to my house, just listening to the music on his stereo- its Pink Floyd- one of my favourites. That's another thing we have in common- we both like the music from the past.

He pulls up in front of my house, but I don't get out. I sit there in the dark, waiting for him to say something. 'Are you ok?' he eventually asks.

'Of course- I was just waiting for my kiss,' I say cheekily, but also because I can't think of any other way to get to him.

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><p><strong>Reviews please! :D<strong>


	3. Progressing

**Yo-de-ho! Here y'all go, chapter 3 :)**

**Just had a little bit of an annoyance when the internet decided it wanted to have a ten minute break for no reason at all- but then it realised it was frustrating people and it chose to return to work :) So now I can upload chapter threeeeeeee!**

**Hope you like this- had fun writing it (probably most M-rated scene I've ever written... so far...) So yeah... enjoyyyy :)**

**Might be a little short, but the next one is longer and and I think its best to split it this way :) Chapter 4 up in a sec :)**

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><p>He leans over to me, cups my face in his hands, and kisses me softly. Just as I feel him starting to pull away, I rest my hand on the back of his neck, pulling him back. He doesn't fight. I daringly part my lips slightly, hoping he will do the same- he may not catch on to exactly what I want, but I'll keep him on the right track. He eventually opens his lips as well, his hot breath entering my mouth. He moans at the back of his throat. I'm surprised when he gently traces my bottom lip with his tongue- I respond, touching my tongue to his quickly, then pulling back- but he follows, exploring my mouth- I tangle my tongue with his, wanting more of him.<p>

I pull back as he undoes his seatbelt, so he can get closer to me. It is uncomfortable leaning over the gear stick and the handbrake, and so before I continue kissing him, I struggle and squeeze myself into the back seat. He looks at me as if asking a question through his eyes. I lean forward and pull him towards me, and he takes the message and struggles through the gap so he is sitting next to me. He immediately comes forward to continue our kiss, one hand on my cheek and one on my waist. My hands are knotted in his hair.

I lean back, lying down, and he follows without breaking our lips apart, so he is resting on top of me. The hand resting on the side of my neck moves down my body, his fingers just missing my breast. He keeps moving, past my waist, down to my thigh. I stop kissing him and look at him, his face still close to mine. We are both breathing quite heavily. His hand has stopped just at the hem of my skirt, waiting for my permission.

'It's fine, just do it,' I breathe.

'Are you sure?' he replies, a slight hint of nervousness in his voice.

'Yes,' is all I say.

So he does. He moves his hand up my skirt. He lightly kisses me as he starts, and I gasp with pleasure. It's weird, feeling uncomfortable, but wonderful at the same time. I groan, and he keeps silencing it with soft kisses. I whisper his name in his ear a few times, and he plants kisses down my neck, whispering, 'It's ok,' back to me.

Eventually he stops, and resumes kissing me, our tongues now fighting against each other, my arms around his neck. We continue like this for what seems hours, but sometime we stop, and sit up. I neaten my hair, and I give him a slow, soft kiss on his jaw. He tenderly kisses me one last time, and then I get out of the car, not having to say anything. As I walk up my garden path, I turn around to see him getting back into the front seat via the door, and turning on his headlights. I wave when he looks at me. He smiles back, and whizzes off into the night.

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><p><strong>Reviewwwwwwssssss puuurrrllleeeaseeee :)<strong>


	4. Valentine's Day

**Chapter 4 people :) Gets much more M-ratedish down the other end of this chapter :) **

**If you don't enjoy this I will be sad because I wrote it from 6:45pm till 9:00pm at boarding school when I should have been doing homework- therefore I ended up with EIGHT studies this weekend- stupid desicion but... eh... this is more enjoyable. I felt like a real author around 8:30 when I made myself a cuppa and was on my own in my room writing it- teehee! :)**

**Right- I will stop wittering- get on with it and enjoy!**

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><p>I don't think I've ever been happier in my life. He has become my world- the centre of my heart. He knows me, he knows my likes, my dislikes, my opinions- and I know all of the same about him. We know each other inside out.<p>

It's been about three months now, since I met him- and I realise that my personality has become happier, lighter. We're good for each other.

It's the 14th of February- he says he has something planned- but the only thing he will tell me about it is that it includes dinner out. I am so excited, and he's asked me to wear something 'more amazing than usual.' I honestly don't know how I came to deserve the flattery he gives me.

xxx

I'm looking out of my kitchen window, waiting for his car to come round the corner. I must admit, I am excited- our first Valentine's Day together- I want it to be special.

Around ten minutes later, the car swoops round the corner and pulls up at the end of my pathway. I wait just a few seconds. He gets out of the car and leans back on the front door. I gasp- he's wearing smart black trousers and a black jacket, with a white shirt left open at the top. He looks gorgeous. I grab my bag and run out of the house, and down the pathway. I launch my arms tightly around his neck, and he wraps his likewise around my waist. We stay like this, hugging and rocking each other from side to side, laughing quietly under our breath.

He goes round and opens my door for me. I smile at him and I get in and put my seatbelt on. When he gets in, he turns on the car, and then reaches over to me, kissing me tenderly with one hand on my jaw. I can't help feeling so happy then.

He really has gone all out for me, and I am astonished. I've heard of the restaurant, and it's bloody expensive. The meal is absolutely amazing, the best food I've ever eaten. We have a wonderful evening, talking again about what we've been doing, discussing things, and laughing about nothing in particular.

We walk out into the cold street- you can still hear cars, far away, but apart from that it is mostly silent.

'So... do you want me to drive you back?' he asks slowly behind me.

'Only if you want me to go,' I say, not turning around.

'Why would I want you to do that?' he says. I smile.

'Why don't you come back to mine then- it's still rather early,' he says after I don't answer- he steps closer to me, wrapping his arms around my waist from behind.

'I'd like that,' I say, the smile on my face evident in my tone of voice.

We get in his car, and drive back to his apartment- it strikes me I have never actually been to his place before- it's always been mine- where he's only stayed for a couple of drinks- or his car.

He holds my hand as we walk into the building, and doesn't let go when we go up to the ninth floor in the lift- he only lets go to open his front door.

I step inside- and stare. I've walked into a large room- a kitchen area is off to my right- all black marble and white wood. He doesn't have a table, just stools at the island. Off to my right I see an extremely large flat-screen TV, with a modern grey sofa in an L-shape. Next to it stands a shiny black stereo. The whole of the far wall is glass, and he has the most breathtaking view of the London skyline, which at that moment has orange lights all across it.

'Would you like a drink?' he asks, flinging his jacket on the back of the sofa and walking into the kitchen.

'Oh, yes please,' I say. I walk towards the glass wall, overwhelmed by the beauty. I hear him open and close cupboards behind me, but I don't hear him come up behind me and wrap his arms around my waist like before. I jump slightly, but then relax in his arms. He kisses me softly at the base of my neck then rests his head on my shoulder, looking out across London with me. I snuggle closer to the warmth of his body.

After a while he says, 'Shall I put on some music?' I answer just by nodding my head. He leaves me, and walks to the stereo. I turn to see him scrolling through his iPod. A song starts- I recognise the voice, but not the song. It's beautiful.

'Katie Melua,' he says, walking back towards me. 'Learnin' The Blues.' I smile as he takes my waist and pulls me close, so our faces are just inches apart. He takes one of my hands in his, and moves his other hand to the small of my back- I get the idea, and put my free hand on his shoulder, so we're in a dancing position. He pulls our joined hands closer to us, to make it more informal. He rocks me slowly to the beat of the song. I move my head so it's touching the side of his, and close my eyes, leaning into him. He's stroking my hand gently, and stroking my back, up and down, in time with the music. It's making me so sleepy, I feel as if I'm in a dream.

'Happy Valentine's day my sweetheart,' he whispers in my ear. I am too sleepy to answer, so I move my head so I can kiss his cheek slowly, softly, letting the moment slow down with me.

The song moves on, to another of Katie's. I think I recognise this one- 'Faraway Voice'. After listening to it for a minute or so, I wake up, and move my head so I'm looking at him. I look into his beautiful blue eyes- something I never tire of looking at. They are just so deep- you can see right into his soul if you know him well enough- and I do.

He surprises me by talking first- saying almost what I was thinking. 'Shall we go?' he says. I know what he means- I kiss him passionately as a reply. He breaks the kiss, and pulls me towards a door near the TV. It's slightly ajar already, so I turn him around and start kissing him impatiently. We move through the door into his room- his hands are cupping my face and mine are tangled in his hair. He's forced my lips open to explore my mouth with his tongue, and I go along with it, playfully. I moan from the back of my throat, and he responds by nibbling my bottom lip.

He's getting more confident now, his hands moving down, grazing my breasts and then holding my waist tightly. He becomes stronger, and slams me against the wall, pushing against me, but not in an unpleasant way. I move my hands to rest against his chest. He starts kissing me down my neck, running his tongue down my shoulder blade, making me shiver. I hold onto him, my arms now around his neck, pulling him impossibly closer. He moves one hand to the back of my thigh, pulling my leg up to hitch onto his waist, which makes it easier for him to press against me.

He starts kissing me again, moving his other hand to my other leg. He hoists me up so my legs are wrapped around his waist, and carries me towards his bed. I go down first, with him on top of me. He pulls my skirt down, and I help by kicking it off onto the floor. He hungrily kisses me down my jaw. I roll us over, and sit up, straddling him- he sits up as well, and continues to kiss me, but I pull away. He looks at me, wondering why I've stopped.

'You don't want to do this?' he implies. I don't smile; I just look into his eyes as I take the hem of my t-shirt, and pull it over my head, revealing my purple lace bra. He looks down, then back up to me.

'Oh, so you're trying to arouse me?' he says.

'That's the idea,' I laugh, and I tilt my head back to his, deepening the kiss as much as I can. I move my hands to his chest, and undo the buttons on his shirt. He shrugs it off, pulls me back down, and moves so he returns to kneeling above me.

Soon there is no barrier between our bodies- we have reached total intimacy- and it feels amazing. We've moved so we are under his duvet, so we are warm. He stops kissing me, and looks at me.

'Are you ok?' he asks.

'Of course I am- I've never felt more ok,' I reply. And it's true.

'Do you want me to...' he trails off- it isn't really necessary to finish the question.

'Do you really have to ask? What are we doing here if not?' I say, laughing breathlessly.

'I don't want to hurt you,' he says.

'You won't,' I say. I completely trust him.

He moves so I can get more comfortable- when he starts, I move to wrap my arms around his neck, and I rest my head on his shoulder. He is gentle, but he doesn't hesitate- he's bringing me such happiness. I was wrong- this is total intimacy. I gasp and breathe into the hollow of his throat. I don't want to distract him by doing anything else. After a few minutes, he stops. We just lie there, breathing heavily, listening to our heartbeats. I slip my arms from his neck so he can move his head. He does, and looks at me, his face close to mine.

'I didn't hurt you did I?' he asks, still worried.

'I'm fine, honestly,' I laugh again. 'You didn't hurt me in the least.'

'Good,' he says, rolling off so he's lying next to me. He pulls me into his arms, hugging me close. I close my eyes, my head against his chest. I remember just one more thing before sleep took me.

'I love you Sybil,' he whispers. I feel warm to the core of my heart now, filled to the brim with happiness.

'I love you too Tom,' I whisper back. He strokes my hair, and with the rhythm of that, his decreasing heartbeat, and his breathing, I fall asleep, curled up in his arms.

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><p><strong>I'm a fan of Katie Melua at the moment, and I've been wanting to include her songs in my fics ever since I set up my account- so please listen to the songs I have used in this fanfic (and others) because they are beautiful :) She has the voice of an angel<strong>

**Hope you liked it- reviews bring happiness and more chapters :)**


	5. Changed For The Better

**First of all- I AM SOOOOO SORRY for not posting in about two weeks, you must have all given up- but no fear- it's here! Ooooo that rhymes...**

**It has been a really busy couple of weeks for me, all of my teachers suddenly decided to give MOUNTAINS of homework and that made everyone be like 'ARRGGHHHH' *stress***

**So yeah... here's chapter cinq :D Will start writing chapter 6 after I've done some more work :) Enjoy!**

**Hugs and English Tea x**

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><p>I wake up first. I'm lying facing out, towards the wall- I hadn't taken in my surroundings last night... I was busy. The walls are a sophisticated cream colour. There is a small chest of drawers and an armchair in the corner- it has a pair of jeans with a belt over the back of it. It is a small room, but cosy. I smile suddenly, realising his arm is holding my waist from behind, his hand on my stomach. I can feel his heavy, sleepy breathing on the back of my head, caressing my hair. I feel that I am his, and he is mine. We are together, and I don't want it to end.<p>

Very carefully I take his arm and slide myself out from his grasp, moving very slowly so as not to wake him. I grab his dressing gown from the back of the door, put it on, and make my way into the kitchen. I take a glass from a cupboard and pour myself some juice. I look over to the island, where two glasses of wine are sitting- so much for that drink.

I'm leaning against the island with my back to the room when I hear a door open and close again. I turn to see that Tom has woken. He's had to put on some shorts because I've stolen his dressing gown. I put on my face of mock guilt, and he laughs, walking across the room. I put my glass down and come round to the other side of the island, hoisting myself up so I'm sitting on the worktop.

'Morning sweetheart,' he says as he reaches me, taking me hands and holding them in both of his.

'Hello,' I say back, smiling.

He leans forward and kisses me softly. I feel him nudge me knees apart so he can get closer to me. I pull back after a few seconds, plant a quick kiss on his cheek, and jump down from the counter.

'I'm doing breakfast this morning, because, in a way, you did dinner last night,' I say to him, walking back round towards the cupboards- I start looking for something to eat- I'm starving.

'No you don't have to do that- my treat hasn't ended yet- lets go out for breakfast,' he says back to me.

'Okay, but next time I'm cooking,' I reply. I find some kind of cereal bar, take one and move off back towards the bedroom. As I go past him I grin at him, a quarter way through the cereal bar. 'I'll just go shower,' I call behind me.

xxx

He's treating me like a grandparent treats their grandchild. He's taking me to restaurants, paying for everything, and just generally being amazing. I have totally fallen for him, and by the way he's spoiling me, it looks as though he has fallen for me too. I feel as though we fit together perfectly.

xxx

'Tom?' I ask, as I come out of his bedroom one morning.

'What's up honey?' he says, not looking up from reading the newspaper at the island.

'I was just wondering... if you should meet my parents. We've been together for months now and we still haven't met each other's families- I just wanted to know what you thought,' I say.

He looks up now, obviously giving the suggestion some thought. He gets up and moves around the island to lean against it. I just stand there, waiting for his answer.

'I see your point. So, what, you're gonna ask your parents to invite me to dinner or something?' he says eventually.

'Yeah, that's the plan- only if you want to of course,' I add.

'Yeah that's fine with me,' he replies.

'Ok, cool- well how about tomorrow night? I can give them a call later,' I say.

'Sure- now, what are we going to do today my sweetheart?' he grinning at me and kissing me softly.


	6. Parents

**Hi guys, new chapter- I seem to have got the impression that no one is reading this story anymore, but I'm going to upload this anyway.**

**Pleeease review, really need some more encouragement- really hard to write when you think no one is reading.**

**Hugs and English Tea x**

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><p>I hope with all my heart that my family will approve. Over the past few days I've been constantly worrying about how they will take to the fact that he's an Irish socialist, how strongly opinionated he is, and the fact that he is nine years older than me. I have warned him that my parents are strict and that they expect me to choose the 'right man' when I am older- in their language that means marry. But we haven't said anything about marriage yet. It hasn't come into conversation.<p>

As I drive down the long driveway towards my family house, I take a couple of quiet deep breaths. I really want this to go well. I feel Tom looking over at me, and I know he knows that I'm nervous.

'It's ok Sybil,' he says comfortingly, putting his hand in mine. I smile at him lovingly. I know it will always be ok with him.

I park the car in front of the house, and see Mary and Edith come out, followed by my parents. I decided to ask Mary and Edith to come so to make it more comfortable- it's easier with six people rather than four. Tom appears beside me and takes my hand, giving it a squeeze. I squeeze back, glancing at him positively.

'Sybil darling, it's so wonderful to see you,' my mother comes forward first, giving me a tight hug.

'Mama I'm so happy to see you, I've missed you- all of you,' I say, letting go and looking at all my family.

'Hello my darlings,' I say to Mary and Edith, giving them both hugs. I then turn to face my father. I give him a hug, having to step up on tip toes to reach him.

'Hello Papa, I've missed you,' I say.

'And I you my girl,' he smiles at me.

I turn back to Tom and take his hand again. 'Mama, Papa, this is Tom Branson- Tom, these are my parents and my sisters Mary and Edith,' I say. My mother steps forward first and to shake his hand.

'Lovely to meet you Tom,' she says in her soft American accent.

'And you Mrs Crawley, I'm so glad to have finally met you,' he says. A good start, I think to myself. My father then steps forward rather stiffly.

'Mr Crawley,' says Tom, holding out his hand. My father takes it, saying 'Mr Branson,' he replies. I try to stay calm at this very formal welcome. I was hoping I was hoping my father would have been a little friendlier.

'Come inside you two, it's freezing out here- we'll make some tea,' my mother cuts in after a short silence- thank God it didn't turn out to last too long- and leads all of us inside. I walk in with Tom after my family. He leans down to whisper in my ear.

'I think that went well,' he says.

'You did well my darling,' I smile back.

'And while I'm here, can I just say- your house is bloody massive!' he exclaims.

'I tried not to make a big thing of it- I'm a little embarrassed really,' I blush.

'Don't get me wrong- I love it- although I wouldn't want to live in it,' he says.

'You can see my view of it perfectly,' I giggle, giving him a quick kiss on the cheek, neither my parents nor my sisters noticing, as we walk into the drawing room.

xxx

The afternoon and evening goes pretty well, with my father and Mary being civil towards Tom. Thankfully, Edith and Mama are much friendlier towards him, politely making conversation with him, asking about what he does and his plans for the future.

After dinner we go into the library. Tom looks around in awe as we all sit down.

'Mr Crawley, you have a wonderful library,' he compliments.

My father looks more impressed than he has all evening. 'Thank you- what are your interests?' he asks. I smile, relieved that my father is taking an interest at last.

'History and Politics mainly,' Tom nods slightly.

'Heavens,' my father seems more impressed now.

After some time of talking, I look over to see Mary trying to catch my eye. When she does, she beckons me to come with her.

'Papa, we're just going to go to the drawing room- sister catch-up you know?' Mary says sweetly. My father nods slightly and goes back to talking amongst the remaining four people in the room. I look back at Tom and smile at him. He smiles back as I leave the room.

We walk into the drawing room, and I have a feeling I know what's coming. Mary closes the door behind her.

'Sybil,' she starts, but I cut her off.

'Mary, I know what you're going to say. You don't approve of Tom, am I right?' I say.

'No I don't. He isn't what is expected of you. You are going to have to find another match, someone who is richer and has a higher social status.'

'What time are you living in, the 19th century?' I say. She can't really be serious.

'I am saying what our whole family is thinking- they are trying to be polite, but they are hoping that you will come to your senses and realise that you cannot marry that man,' she argues.

'We haven't talked about marriage yet,' I decide to just make that clear. 'But that doesn't mean we won't ever marry. We have only been together four months, so it isn't at the top of our priority list.'

She is silent for a moment. 'Sybil... he's not rich. He says he wants to be a journalist, and I don't doubt that he will one day become one- I can't deny, he's intelligent. But he can't honestly support you can he? Not now, working in a garage.'

'Oh Mary you know I don't care about all of that,' I say, astounded that she thinks I would care.

'Oh darling, don't be such a baby,' she says.

'I'm not being a baby- I am being an adult, making my own decisions. And I decide that I want to be with Tom, and I love him, with all of my heart. You can't change that.' I say.

'Well I may not be able to now, but I'm fairly certain that I can bring you round to see the light,' she says, putting down her final statement.

'Well I'm not certain. He is the best man I have ever met, and I really doubt there is anyone else like him. I'm not going to walk away from him. I don't want to lose him. I don't want to say anything more to you about it at the moment. I will talk about this with you another time,' I say finally. I flounce out of the room, closing the door behind me. I can't believe she would think this is just some meaningless short relationship- this is for real. I run upstairs- I don't think I am able to face the remainder of my family tonight.

Of course, my parents have put me and Tom in separate bedrooms- they obviously don't realise how serious our relationship is, plus they probably don't want their youngest daughter sleeping with someone they've never met.

I go into my bedroom, the same one I had before I left home. My belongings have all gone, and the room has been made into a guest room, but the colours haven't changed- sophisticated pale pink, with a white carpet and calm floral curtains. I still feel as if I belong there, and this comforts me.

I sit down on the bed and think about the conversation I've just had with my older sister. I can't stop a few tears trickling down my cheek as I go over the scene in my mind. Hearing her say all those things, how Tom won't be able to support me, how it will probably all be over in a few months- it all upsets me deeply.

I'm not sure how long I've been sitting there alone, but suddenly I realise it has become dark. I turn on my bedside light, when I suddenly hear a soft knock on the door. I only want to see one person right now.

'Who is it?' I ask quietly.

'It's me sweetheart,' I hear the voice I am hoping to hear.

'Oh, come in Tom,' I say, still sitting.

The door opens, and as soon as he sees me, with my tear-stricken face, he closes the door and rushes to my side, wrapping his arms around me. I take hold of him tightly. Holding him now is what I need most, and feeling his body, warm against me, instantly makes me feel better. I start softly crying against his white shirt, sniffing.

'It's ok my darling, just cry it out. I'm not going anywhere,' he whispers to me.

After a while, I get hold of myself, and sit up to look into his eyes. He looks at me, and wipes away the tears on my cheeks. I smile at him.

'Now, will you tell me what the matter is?' he says to me.

I hesitate, but then decide he should know. 'Mary... Mary doesn't approve of me seeing you. She thinks... she thinks you won't be able to support me.'

'And what did you say?' he asks.

'What do you think? I said that I would not leave you. I also... I also said I love you... with all my heart,' I say.

He grins at me, hugging me and kissing my neck. I hug him back, slightly confused.

'Why are you smiling? I thought you'd be upset,' I said. He leans back and looks at me.

'Why would I be upset? You said you wouldn't leave me, and you also said you loved me- that's way more than enough to make me happy for a long time,' he says, still smiling at me and cupping my face.

I take one of his hands and hold it in mine, then stroke his cheek with the other. 'I love you so much,' I say, feeling tears form in my eyes. I kiss him softly, making my love for him obvious with it. He kisses me back passionately, moving his hands to my neck.

I want him now, to comfort me, to hold me, and to say it's ok. I start to unbutton his shirt, opening my lips and letting his tongue enter and explore my mouth. Suddenly he takes me by the shoulders and pulls me back, his shirt half unbuttoned.

'Should we really do this, when we're in your parents' house and they don't even want you to be with me? In my opinion it isn't such a great idea, as much as I'd like to,' he says.

I think to myself for a minute. 'You're right... but would you stay with me tonight? I don't want to be on my own when I know you're right down the hall.'

'Of course I will my sweetheart. Do you want me to get you a glass of water? You look a little pale.'

I nod, standing up slowly. He kisses my forehead and creeps out of my room, quietly closing the door. I smile at the door, grateful that I have met someone as caring and wonderful as him.

I get into bed and just close my eyes, breathing deeply, cleansing myself of all the stress of the evening, soothing my mind. I hear a quiet click of my door, and open one eye to see Tom putting a glass of water on my bedside table. I watch him sleepily as he pulls his shirt over his head, takes his jeans off, and climbs into bed beside me. He doesn't touch me, realising I'm having a quiet moment. When I finish, I move and shape myself to his hold, melting myself into his warm body. I keep breathing deeply, holding onto him. I feel myself getting drowsier, my eyelids closing only for me to start awake, and restart the falling-asleep process. After maybe about twenty minutes, I finally fall into sleep, dreams of frowning parents and caring boyfriends surrounding me.

xxx

I hug my mother more quickly than when we arrived, then I flash a smile at her. I do the same for Edith, but when I get to Mary, I just stand there, not sure of what to do. But she unexpectedly pulls me into a tight embrace.

'Think about what I said. You know it makes sense,' she whispers in my ear. I pull back, look her in the eye, and shake my head as I walk backwards from her towards the car, towards Tom. I don't say anything.

And this is how I leave it. I get in the car, and stare straight ahead as Tom starts the car and pulls out of the drive.

We are silent for about ten minutes, until Tom says, 'Honey, it's ok.'

'How is it ok? My family don't like you; you could see it in their behaviour. I'm sorry, but it was obvious,' I say rather snappily. I instantly feel bad. He shouldn't be made to feel out of place, especially at this moment.

'I'm sorry. It's my parents' fault. They should learn to accept my decisions and be proud for me. I'm angry at them, not you. I couldn't be mad at you Tom.' I say after a few seconds of silence.

It stays silent, but after a while I feel him take my hand and give it a squeeze. He doesn't let go, and we stay like that, driving home under the setting sun.


End file.
